Toothbrush



B. H. RUST.

TOOTHBRUSH.

APPLICATION FILED IULYZG, 1920.

1,415,898. Patented May 16,1922.

MMI 'Ml' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN H. ROST, 0F NEW YORK, N. Y.

TOOTHBRUSH.

Appncation filed July 2e,

To all ywhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN H. Ros'r, a citizen ot' the United States, and a resident of the borough and county1 of Bronx. city and State ot New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Toothbrushes, ot which the following is a specification.

The object ot' my invention is to promote dental sanitation by means of replacement tooth brushes adapted to be quickly and conveniently secured in `position for use in a holder or handle ot' special construction, and to be as readily removed and discarded after use, it being a fact recognized and established by dentists and hygienists generally that the ordinary permanent form of tooth brush is detrimental to health and a hindrance to. rather than a promotor of,

germicidal conditions. owing to lack of proper sterilization. In other words, the usual tooth brush. owing to its average uncleanliness. becomes a vehicle for the propagation and transmission of geruis and bacteria insteadl ot' a preventive thereof.v

I obviate such harmful conditions and results by the provision' of fresh. clean, new. sterile brushes or equivalent contactual means ot' tooth cleaning` for use upon occasion,-my discardable brush rep acements heilig of simple and inexpensive construction. and adapted to be manufactured and sold independent ot. and as supplementarv to. the handle or holder in conjunction wit which they are to be used.

In accordance with the foregoing synopsis my invention consists in the specilic construction, combination and arrangement of' parts herein described and clai1ned,-dis tinctive features being the formation of a rigid brush holder or handle with a flanged mortise for the reception and support of a replacement brush the back. ot which is rigid and correspondingly shaped to fit said fianged mortise. and in forming both mortise and brush back with inclined contactual wedge surfaces whereby the brush may be firmly positioned in the handle tor use, all as hereinafter `fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1, is a side elevation of my improved composite tooth brush. ready for use;

Fig. Q.. is a view ot'l the back thereof;

Fig. 3. is a view of the front thereof;

Fig. 4, is a central vertical longitudi- Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented May 16, 1922.

1920. serial No. 399,143.

nal section taken upon plane of line 4 4, Fig. 2;

Fig. 5, is a face view ot' the brush handle, without a replacement brush;

Fig. (i, is a front end view of the brush handle and brush;

Fig. T, is a front end view of the handle without a replacement brush;

Fig. 8. is a face view of' a replacement brush;

Fig. t). is a side elevation thereof;

Fig. 10. is an end view of a replacement brush; and

Fig. ll. is a view of the back thereof.

H. represents a handle such as is ordinarily provided for tooth brushes. the main ditl'erence being that its forward portion or head la. is recessed to Jform an elongate mortise Ib. f'or the reception ot' the spine or hack L. ot' a detachable and replaceable brush l.s:iid back Z), having attached thereto bristles b', or equivalent'means for cleaning the teeth and gums b v contactual engagement therewith. Thus. the construction of the brush section B, may be in accordance with any of the well known methods in vogue in the art of manufacturing tooth brushes. except that my replacement brush B. is formed without a handle. In lieu thereof. the back of the brush is formed to fit in the elongate mortise L, of the permanent holder or handle H, as before intimated.

A. preferred method of providing for temporaiv copulation between the replacement brush B. and the handle H` lis to form the niortise h. in the. latter with inwardly convergent or dove-tail side flanges k2, k2. as shown more particularly in Figs. 6 and 7, and to correspondiugly bevel the longitudinal edges b2. L2, ot the brush back I), so that the dovetail back or spine b. ot' the replacenient brush B. thus created will slide and fit snugly within the recess h', ot the holder H.

ln order to insure a tight fit between the parts. l form the floor of the mortise h'. with an inclined surface kx. rearwardly convergent toward the face side of the handle ll. as shown in Fig. 4:, and make the rear end of the brush spine or back b. wedge shaped. as shown more particularly in said Fig. t. and in F ig. S). of the drawings. Hence. when desired for use. a replacement brush B, may be. quickly attached to the handle H, with suflicientl firmness and rigidity for all practical purposes as related to oral and dental cleaning` and yet be capable of detachment by hand from the holder H, for discardure after such use.

Many scientific Writers have of late warned the laity7 and the dental profession, of the danger ot germ propagation and disease incidental to the use of the ordinary tooth brush; and my invention is designed to solve the difficulty in a simple and positive manner, obviating the inconvenience and uncertainties of sterilization, (which is seldom efficacious) and hence promoting health and cleanliness in a simple and practical manner.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters atent is,

As an improved article of manufacture, a tooth brush comprising a rigid handle the 'of said handle mortise. whereby the inward thrust ot' the brush is limited and prescribed as related to the handle. as and for the, purpose set forth.

BENJAAIIN H. RUST.

Witnesses GEO. lfVM. MIATT, DOROTHY MIATT. 

